An advanced metering infrastructure network can have an architecture configured for automated, two-way communications between utility smart meters and/or associated networks and/or devices of a utility company. An AMI network and/or related systems can be configured to provide utility companies with real-time data about power consumption and/or allow customers to make informed choices about energy usage based on the price at the time of use. The availability of two-way AMI communications also can enable the development of energy services and/or applications based on data exchanges between the utility and/or connected end systems.
AMI systems that are being introduced today, in addition to meter reading and/or advanced metering services, can be configured to enable a deploying entity (e.g., a utility) to interface to energy monitoring and/or management systems within commercial, industrial and/or residential premises. The AMI systems can be configured to interface to premise networks (e.g., home area networks (HANs)) to allow for scheduled and/or real-time provision of energy pricing information, as well as transfer of signals for potential system-wide peak energy management (e.g., curtailment) and/or other system control. As these AMI systems are being deployed, multiple HAN technologies are emerging within the premise environment that can enable networking of energy management and/or control of energy consuming, monitoring, management and/or display devices. The premise communications technologies, wired and/or wireless, can provide the local connectivity of energy systems including distributed generation, vehicular and/or other mobile energy systems, etc. These systems may benefit from access and/or interconnection to the deployed utility AMI network and/or may also enhance the capability of the AMI network by providing additional ways for the utility to manage its energy infrastructure.
From the utility perspective, Zigbee technology, which includes a Smart Energy Profile (SEP) application on the Zigbee® wireless network communications protocol stack, and the powerline-based Homeplug® network, are relatively widely referenced communications standards in the premise network (e.g., HAN) environment. However, HAN technologies such as Z-Wave®, Insteon, and/or others also have wide deployment for use in premise automation applications and/or are also being relatively widely deployed for home and/or premise energy management. Energy management and/or control applications may be developed for use over other technologies such as WiFi-based HAN technologies. As these premise and HAN technologies continue to be developed and/or are incorporated within electric appliances and/or other premise devices an increasing need to support multiple HAN technologies within a utility's service environment may be realized. Furthermore, as the different HAN technologies evolve a need for the AMI network to interface to and/or interwork with multiple concurrent technologies may also be realized.
Known end-to-end AMI systems have been developed to support a single HAN technology (e.g., a Zigbee technology) to be implemented and deployed in conjunction with a smart meters and/or specific premise end devices. For energy demand management, at least some of these known systems have traditionally included head-end application systems that interface to public and/or private RF (UHF or VHF) networks that are able to directly communicate with load control and/or other deployed demand response devices. More recently, these known systems have been designed to carry demand/response (DR) control signals via AMI systems that then allow the signals to be conveyed to premise and/or HAN devices via an interface to a single selected HAN technology implemented within the smart meter.
Known meter-centric approaches may require inefficient investment in and/or deployment of applicable premise/HAN technology in conjunction with each meter installation. Unfortunately, this may occur even before DR participants (e.g., end-customer participants) are fully known or selected. By coupling the HAN selection to the meter deployment, a system-wide HAN technology may be deployed even where the eventual market take-up may only be a fraction of the utility's customer base, resulting in wasted resources. The further drawback of a smart meter deployment that includes a single premise/HAN technology is that the deployment can undesirably lock the utility into a technology choice during an initial phase of the DR system deployment even as technology choices continue to evolve. This can undesirably limit the utility operator flexibility over time and can also undesirably limit the choices that are available to end-customers that may make premise energy management choices at a later date. Accordingly, methods and apparatus are needed to address the shortfalls of present technology and to provide other new and innovative features.